Method and composition for dust control

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed towards methods and compositions for treating piles of particulate materials to inhibit and prevent the loss of valuable fuel or mineral dust from being released from storage piles or open containers. The method involves applying separately to the pile two different compositions. When separate the two compositions are low viscosity and easy to spray. When combined the two form a gel coating that is resistant to erosion but is flexible while the pile or payload is still settling, jostling, being bumped, and otherwise moving around. This coating is especially effective for coal piles, iron ore piles, and also for piles within and/or being moved by open topped railroad cars. The coating&#39;s flexibility prevents the coating from becoming brittle and shattering. The coating has better performance than its ingredients do alone. As a result the invention can both prevent unwanted dust pollution as well as save its users money by avoiding loss of blown away material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to methods and compositions for containingparticulate matter within open top receptacles including but not limitedto open top hopper cars, trucks, piles, and similar storage and/orshipping containers. Treating a load of particulate material (and inparticular coal and iron ore) with a binding agent (sometimes referredto as a crusting agent) to encrust a surface and thereby retain valuablematerial as well as prevent the spreading of dust from the particulateis known. Prior binding agents are described among other places in U.S.Pat. No. 5,441,566. These binding agents include latexes, petroleumproducts, and pine tar resins. Other binding agents includephenolaldehyde resin mixed with a polyisocyanate in the presence of acatalyst (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,473), alkaline phenolic resin(described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,540), and styrene in a hygroscopicsolvent (methyl ethyl ketone), polyvinyl acetate and water (describedU.S. Pat. No. 5,487,764). Additional dust suppressants are described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,181,957 and 5,747,104, 5,648,116, US Published PatentApplication 2009/0189113 A1, and Published PCT Applications 02/12574 A1,2010/110805 A1 and 2009/023652 A1.

Unfortunately many of these binders cause the particulate material toretain large amounts of water which can lead to diminished value andeffectiveness. In the context of coal, increased water content resultsin decreased BTU content and increased likelihood of spontaneouscombustion from water induced oxidation of the coal. Furthermore thebinders tend to form brittle coatings which tend to shatter anddissipate as the particulate material settles and shifts due to theeffects of transit and storage. Problems due to the brittleness of thebinder coatings become exacerbated when the material is stored inenvironments where the temperature fluctuates above and below freezing.This is because freezing and melting moisture further shifts thematerials further shattering the binder coating.

Prior art binding materials also have a number of winter handlingproblems that can render application difficult and potentiallyineffective. This is because such products often have a freezing pointnear that of water and once frozen, they no longer work. Even worsethese prior art binder coatings after being frozen are not recoverableeven after they have thawed or melted if they have been frozen. Thisgreatly limits the conditions in which they can be used and applied.

Thus it is clear that there is clear utility in novel methods andcompositions for binding the top of particulate materials stored orshipped in open top containers. The art described in this section is notintended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication orother information referred to herein is “Prior Art” with respect to thisinvention, unless specifically designated as such. In addition, thissection should not be construed to mean that a search has been made orthat no other pertinent information as defined in 37 CFR §1.56(a)exists.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To satisfy the long-felt but unsolved needs identified above, at leastone embodiment of the invention is directed towards a method ofinhibiting the release of dust from a pile of particulate material. Themethod comprises the step of applying to the exposed surface of the pilea binder composition. The binder composition comprises a firstcomposition and a second composition. Each of the first and secondcomposition have a viscosity of less than 100 cP when apart, but whenmixed together they have a viscosity of more than 10,000 cP.

The first and second compositions may be separately applied to the pileand do not contact each other until after they have both been applied tothe pile. The first composition may be a viscosity adjuster. The secondcomposition may be a gellant. The first composition may be selected fromthe list consisting of: Alkylating Agents, Bases, Monoethanolamine,Diethanlonlamine, Diethanol coconut amide, Triethanolamine, PotassiumHydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Carbonate, Sodium Carbonate,Ammonium Hydroxide, and 2-amino, 2-methyl, 1-propanol, and anycombination thereof. The second composition may be selected from thelist consisting of: Nonionic Cellulose Ethers, Methylcellulose,Methylhydroxyethylcellulose, Methylhydroxypropylcellulose,Hidroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Sodiumcarboxymethylcellulose, Ethylcellulose, Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose,Carboxy polymethylene, Acrylic acid copolymer, and Carboxy vinylpolymer, and any combination thereof.

The pile may be within an open topped container. The pile may comprisesone item selected from: coal, dirt, wood chips, agricultural products,fruits, fertilizers, ores, mineral ores, fine materials, sand, gravel,soil, fertilizers, or other dust generating material, and anycombination thereof. The pile may be located at one item selected from:a railroad car, a ship's hold, a port, a mine, a railroad station, atruck, a road, an industrial facility, a refinery, a smelter, apackaging facility, a power plant, and any combination thereof. At leastone or both of the compositions may be applied by spraying onto thepile. The compositions may be sprayed sequentially from the same sprayapparatus. The first composition may be applied before and/or after thesecond composition. Both compositions may be simultaneously applied fromdifferent sprayers.

Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will beapparent from, the following Detailed Description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of the invention is hereafter described withspecific reference being made to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a number of photographs illustrating how the inventionprevents erosion in a particulate material bed.

For the purposes of this disclosure, like reference numerals in theFIGURES shall refer to like features unless otherwise indicated. Thedrawings are only an exemplification of the principles of the inventionand are not intended to limit the invention to the particularembodiments illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following definitions are provided to determine how terms used inthis application, and in particular how the claims, are to be construed.The organization of the definitions is for convenience only and is notintended to limit any of the definitions to any particular category.

“Binder” means a material which when positioned over a substrate ofparticulate materials holds the mass together and thereby inhibits thetendency of the mass to release dust.

“Particulate material” means a material that has a tendency to form dustparticles when handled, processed, or contacted, which includes but isnot limited to coal, dirt, wood chips, agricultural products, fruits,fertilizers, ores, mineral ores, fine materials, sand, gravel, soil,fertilizers, iron, coal, or other dust generating material, and anycombination thereof.

“Substrate” means a mass containing particulate material over which abinder is located.

“Comminuted” means powdered, pulverized, ground, or otherwise renderedinto fine solid particles.

“Granulometry” means the process of measuring one or more grain sizes ina granular and/or particulate material.

“Stable Emulsion” means an emulsion in which droplets of a materialdispersed in a carrier fluid that would otherwise merge to form two ormore phase layers are repelled from each other by an energy barrier, theenergy barrier may be 20 kT, the repulsion may have a half-life of a fewyears. Enabling descriptions of emulsions and stable emulsions arestated in general in Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology,Fourth Edition, volume 9, and in particular on pages 397-403.

“Surfactant” is a broad term which includes anionic, nonionic, cationic,and zwitterionic surfactants. Enabling descriptions of surfactants arestated in Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, ThirdEdition, volume 8, pages 900-912, and in McCutcheon's Emulsifiers andDetergents, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

“Water Soluble” means materials that are soluble in water to at least3%, by weight, at 25 degrees C.

In the event that the above definitions or a description statedelsewhere in this application is inconsistent with a meaning (explicitor implicit) which is commonly used, in a dictionary, or stated in asource incorporated by reference into this application, the applicationand the claim terms in particular are understood to be construedaccording to the definition or description in this application, and notaccording to the common definition, dictionary definition, or thedefinition that was incorporated by reference. In light of the above, inthe event that a term can only be understood if it is construed by adictionary, if the term is defined by the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia ofChemical Technology, 5th Edition, (2005), (Published by Wiley, John &Sons, Inc.) this definition shall control how the term is to be definedin the claims.

At least one embodiment of the invention is directed towards theapplication of a gel binder to particulate material. The gel bindercomprises two or more compositions of matter, each of the compositionshaving a viscosity of less than 100 cP (preferably less than 60 cP) whenapart, but their mixture has a viscosity of more than 10,000 cP whenthey contact each other. The compositions only contact each other notbefore they have both been applied to the particulate material.

In at least one embodiment one of the compositions comprises a viscosityadjustment agent. Representative examples of viscosity adjustment agentsinclude but are not limited to: Alkylating Agents, Bases,Monoethanolamine, Diethanlonlamine, Diethanol coconut amide,Triethanolamine, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, PotassiumCarbonate, Sodium Carbonate, Ammonium Hydroxide, and 2-amino, 2-methyl,1-propanol, and any combination thereof. In at least one embodiment theviscosity adjustment agent is a soluble base and/or soluble alkalinematerials either organic and/or inorganic.

In at least one embodiment one of the compositions comprises a gellant.Representative examples of gellants include but are not limited to:Nonionic Cellulose Ethers, Methylcellulose, Methylhydroxyethylcellulose,Methylhydroxypropylcellulose, Hidroxyethylcellulose,Hydroxypropylcellulose, Sodium carboxymethylcellulose, Ethylcellulose,Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, Carboxy polymethylene, Acrylic acidcopolymer, and Carboxy vinyl polymer, and any combination thereof. In atleast one embodiment the gellant is a carboxylic polymer and/or polymersderived from cellulose, and/or is a film and/or fiber forming material.

Either one of the two compositions can be applied before the other. Inaddition, multiple alternating and/or simultaneous applications of thetwo compositions can be performed.

One or more of the compositions may further comprise a solvent and/orcarrier fluid (including but not limited to water).

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown an example of the effectivenessof the invention. FIG. 1 demonstrates that a control application (water)is utterly ineffective at preventing erosion loss of particulatematerial from a sample iron ore bed. In contrast, under the sameconditions a sample iron ore bed treated with Carboxymethylcellulose0.2% after having been treated with Triethanolamine 0.5% (1.9 g/m2 after11.9 g/m2) shows effective resistance to the same particulate materialerosion.

While the combination of at least some of these gellants with at leastsome of these viscosity adjustment agents is not new, theireffectiveness as a particulate material binder is quite novel andunexpected. As described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,292,973,5,248,495, 7,824,665, 5,679,328, and 5,804,540, among others, thecombination of gellants with viscosity agents have been known to be usedas personal care products such as hair colorants, hand gels, personalwash liquids, shaving gel, and personal wash liquids. The manner oftheir use as personal care products however rely on properties that areundesirable and unwanted as a particulate material binder.

As previously stated, when separate the two or more compositions have alow viscosity and when combined the two have a high viscosity. As thehigh viscosity is of crucial importance for personal care products, insuch uses the compositions are pre-mixed before application and arealmost always sold in pre-mixed bottles. In contrast for bindingoperations, it is important that the materials have a low viscosity whenapplied. This is so common application techniques such as spray boomscan be used to apply the binders. If the binder has too high aviscosity, then standard feed pumps cannot be used and the cost ofapplying the binder would become prohibitive and could even exceed thesavings from dust mitigation.

Moreover the general purpose of personal care products is dissimilarfrom those of particulate material binders. For such personal careproducts as hair gel, the material is applied to a soft flexiblesubstrate (hair) which does not erode and is to be formed into aparticular arrangement solely for esthetic reasons. As such it is mixedinto the hair and is applied in such amounts as to provide scaffoldingsupport to the hair's arrangement. In contrast in the invention thesubstrate (for example ore) is rigid and therefore does not requirescaffolding so it can be applied to the surface as a coating not asupport. In addition unlike hair, particulate material substrates doerode. As a result it would not be obvious to apply compositions ofmatter useful as personal care products to such a dissimilarapplication.

In addition a particularly useful consequence of how the materials areapplied manifests in their use as a binder but which is irrelevant as apersonal care product. In at least one embodiment, when at least one orboth of the low viscosity liquid(s) is applied over a surface that isformed of fine particles (including but not limited to coal and/or ironore), the liquid(s) are at least partially absorbed. When thecombination causes the viscosity to spike a thick gel layer forms atleast partially within the bed. This gel layer encapsulates a number ofthe particles. As a result instead of just forming a coating thatpredominantly surrounds the outside of the bed, the binder alsosurrounds a much greater layer of the particulate materials within thebed as well. In contrast were the same resulting gel applied as a gel,the resulting protective layer would be much more superficial and thinbecause the absorption of a gel by the same surface is much morelimited. In other words the low viscosity liquids can penetrate into theparticulate material while the gel cannot. In at least one embodimentthe distribution of the gel within the bed causes the binder to be lessbrittle than if it were more positioned more superficially.

The compositions may be applied in liquid form by a spray boom havingone or more spray heads. In at least one embodiment the composition isapplied according to any one of the methods or apparatuses of U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,441,566, 5,622,561, and any combination thereof.

In at least one embodiment, when contacted with each other the gellantis a solvent for the viscosity adjustment agent. In at least oneembodiment, when contacted with each other the viscosity adjustmentagent is a solvent for the gellant. In at least one embodiment, whencontacted with each other the gellant and the viscosity adjustment agentfrom an azeotropic mixture. In at least one embodiment the change inviscosity is at least in part a result of the viscosity adjustment agentinducing a change in the structure of the gellant.

The compositions may be applied in combination with any of thecompositions, according to any of the methods, and in any mannertargeted to address any of the problems mentioned in any one or more of:U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,465,667, 8,298,439, 5,714,387, 5,181,957, 4,417,992,International Patent Applications WO 2010/085435, WO 2010/045448, WO2008/100921, WO 2006/041581, US Published Patent Applications2010/0090160, 2009/0127499, 2008/0190160, 2006/0284137, 2006/0078685,German Patent Document DE 2912326, and any combination thereof.

In at least one embodiment the particulate material is drying slurry.Often in industrial applications a particulate material is or becomesheavily intermixed with water or another liquid and forms slurry. Thisslurry needs to have some or all of the liquid removed before asubsequent process can be performed on the material. While drying(whether by a de-watering technique or if left out to evaporate away theliquid by heat, sunlight, or the like) some or all of the slurry driesout and can generate dust emissions. The composition can be applied to asurface of the slurry to control dust emissions. The composition can beapplied to the material when it is slurry, partially dry, completelydry, and any combination thereof. In at least one embodiment the slurryis Red Mud from a Bauxite mining and/or refining operation.

The invention can be applied to a substrate having any granulometry. Inat least one embodiment the invention is applied to a substrate havinggranulometry with grains of one or more sizes between 1 nm and 10 m. Inparticular the invention can be applied to pellet sized materials.

In at least one embodiment the dust that is controlled comprises SodiumCarbonate particles. In at least one embodiment the composition isapplied to slurry that is left to dry in a retaining pond or other sortof pond, basin, pool, or straining, drying, or filtering receptacle. Inat least one embodiment the particulate material is iron ore.

In at least one embodiment the composition is applied as the pile isbeing formed. When a particulate material is poured or dumped to form apile, some of the material billows away from the pile in form ofairborne dust. This can occur for example when material is loaded into arail car, dump truck, storage facility, silo, or ship's hold. Thecomposition can be applied to the material before and/or as it is pouredor dumped into a pile. In at least one embodiment the material passesalong a conveyer belt before it is poured or dumped and the compositionis applied to the material as it travels along the belt. In at least oneembodiment the composition also functions as a tackifier which holdstogether the material in the form of larger clumps that are less likelyto launch as airborne dust.

Without being limited by a particular theory or design of the inventionor of the scope afforded in construing the claims, it is believed thatwhen combined the two compositions form a gel matrix that affordsoptimal binder properties. Binders can be thought of as being in one ofthree categories: 1) rigid (often polymerized) layers like a carapace,2) glue products that do not form a layer but keep the particles bondeddue tackiness, and 3) intermediate products that form a layer with gelcharacteristics.

The advantage of a rigid layer is that it is less susceptible to wear bythe wind but on the other hand it can crack more easily due vibrationsand mechanical stress what would lead to material loss. A product thatkeep the particles bonded due stickiness should not suffer the effect ofvibration and mechanical stress but it may evaporate or infiltrate intothe ore and then loose its effect. The inventive gel-like layer combinesboth benefits; it is not be damaged by the wind or vibration and isresistant to becoming dried out or drained.

Gels however are not used because it is not commercially viable to spraygel directly over particulate material beds due the high viscosity whichrequires very high pressure pumps. The invention however allows users togain the benefits of gels without the difficulties by spraying two ormore different low viscosity liquids that only react to form a gel afterapplication to the bed. In at least one embodiment the resulting gel isnot a glue. In at least one embodiment the resulting gel is a glue.

Only once before has the attempt been made to use a two-step applicationas a particulate material binder, in the Russian Patent Document RU2303700, titled Method to Consolidate Dust-Forming Surfaces of Iron-OreConcentration waste Storages, by Sergeev S., et al. (2007). In RU2303700 an iron particle substrate was first treated with chalk thenwith sulfuric acid. The inventive method however uses dissimilarmaterials. Also the inventive method is not limited to iron. In at leastone embodiment the method excludes applying substantially any (oressentially any) chalk to the particulate material. In at least oneembodiment the method excludes applying substantially any (oressentially any) sulfuric acid to the particulate material. In at leastone embodiment the method excludes applying substantially any (oressentially any) acid to the particulate material. In at least oneembodiment the particulate material excludes iron.

The invention however displays a number of unexpected advantages overthe use of RU 2303700's chalk-sulfuric acid. RU 2303700's chalk-sulfuricacid treatment results in the formation of a brittle gypsum layer thatis rigid and friable. It will not keep its integrity during transport inrail cars because it will break due vibration and mechanical stress. Incontrast the invention protects the particulate material by covering itwith a flexible (gel) layer that much better withstands vibration andmechanical stress.

In addition the invention is much safer than using RU 2303700'schalk-sulfuric acid treatment because it does not require themanipulation of sulfuric acid. Spraying sulfuric acid is an innatelydangerous activity. It introduces safety issues to the environment, topeople, to the rail road (corrosion), and even to the process.Particulates may react with the acid and be partially dissolved. Werethat to happen a cloud of explosive (hydrogen) gas could form and thedanger would be multiplied several times. Thus the invention isincalculably safer, and more practical than that described in RU2303700.

In at least one embodiment immediately after the first liquid is appliedonto the bed the second liquid, that reacts with the first, is alsosprayed and a gel layer is formed directly on top of the bed.

In at least one embodiment the gel forms between 1 second to 5 hoursafter the two or more compositions contact each other.

In at least one embodiment the gel is applied only to the surface of thebed. In at least one embodiment the gel is applied in an amountinsufficient to impart sufficient tackiness to preserve the bed againsterosion but because it is a gel it effectively prevents erosion.Typically, glues also have high viscosity, around 4000 cP and 10000 cP.As a result, glues cannot be easily applied. As a result, glue materialsare often dissolved in a solvent (often water) and then applied. Thisimposes limitations on resulting concentrations as the applied solutionoften only has a viscosity of between 10 cP to 100 cP when applied. Theinventive gel in contrast can reach viscosities as high as 50,000 cP(and higher) even though it is applied by being sprayed on the bed'ssurface.

In at least one embodiment the resulting binder layer is at a dosage,that where a glue to be in such a dosage it would be more fragile andsusceptible to shattering than the flexible gel is.

In at least one embodiment the compositions result in a reduction ofmass loss of between 0.001 to 100% relative to using a glue type binder,relative to using a polymer type binder, relative to using water, and/orrelative to using no binder. FIG. 1 illustrates that up to 21.3% (andpossibly more) of the cargo could be lost due erosion lift-off. It isestimated that for example in the iron ore industry iron ore total lostduring transport in railroads due to erosion lift-off is at least 1.17%.Use of the invention would drastically reduce this amount.

In at least one embodiment at least one of the compositions has aviscosity of 1 to 100 cP, (possibly 50-100 cP), preferably between 1 and50 cP, and most preferably between 1 and 10 cP prior to contact with theother composition.

In at least one embodiment when the two compositions contact each otherthey result in a viscosity of between 1000 cP and 10,000 cP, preferablybetween 10,000 cP and 40,000 cP, and most preferably between 13,000 cPand 17,500 cP.

Examples

The foregoing may be better understood by reference to the followingexamples, which are presented for purposes of illustration and are notintended to limit the scope of the invention. In particular the examplesdemonstrate representative examples of principles innate to theinvention and these principles are not strictly limited to the specificcondition recited in these examples. As a result it should be understoodthat the invention encompasses various changes and modifications to theexamples described herein and such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and withoutdiminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that suchchanges and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

A sample of pellet feed iron ore had a water content of approximately8.0% and few large particles. Since large size particles (30 mm) couldstrongly interfere in dust dispersion at laboratory scale due its highblockage of the surface, sample of pellet feed was previously sieved in10 mm mesh before its use. After particle size selection the sample wasused without any further modification.

Dust control products were dissolved in water in such concentrationsuitable to be sprayed over the surface of the iron ore bed. Composition1 was a commercially available source of Triethanolamine was diluted to0.2%. Composition 2 was a commercially available source ofCarboxymethylcellulose was diluted to 0.5%. Composition 3 was acommercially available source of Diethanol coconut amide was diluted to0.5%.

The compositions were applied to beds within rectangular containers.Each container was 24.0 centimeters long, 10.0 centimeters wide and 6.5centimeters deep. The containers were filled with untreated iron orepellet feed until a good portion of the material has been deposited ontop of the container forming an elongated pyramidal like shape. Allangles of the roof were verified by the use of a 45 degree angularcompass.

After been placed inside the container the surface of the iron orepellet feed was uniformly sprayed with one or both compositions atvarious concentrations. At industrial level, the usual amount of atypical dust control binder sprayed onto the top of a single iron orecar is 80 L at 1.5% concentration. Considering each car with 22 m² areathis means 3.64 L/m2 dosage. During laboratory trials the application ofdust control products followed as close as possible this volume ofliquid per area by changing the concentration of the applied solution.

In order to guarantee that each iron ore bed received the right amountof binder only the iron ore surface was exposed to the spray. Any dropthat touched the external surface of the container was dried using towelpaper. Dosage amount was meticulously controlled by weighting the ironore bed during spray application until the target final mass wasachieved. After the application of the dust control product to be testedthe ore surface was left to dry either at room temperature inside a fumehood overnight or inside an oven at 110° C. for one hour. After thattime the container with treated iron ore was submitted to lift-offtrial.

Sample Preparation

The sample of pellet feed iron ore used presented water content ofapproximately 8.0% and few large particles. Since large size particles(30 mm) could strongly interfere in dust dispersion at laboratory scaledue its high blockage of the surface, sample of pellet feed waspreviously sieved in 10 mesh before its use. After particle sizeselection the sample was used without any further modification.

Dust control products were dissolved in water in such concentrationsuitable to be sprayed over the surface of the iron ore bed. In fewcases the high viscosity of final mixture did not allowed the product tobe sprayed and in these cases the product was applied trickling viscousgel over the surface of the iron ore bed and completely removing anydripping excess.

Dust Lift-Off Trials

All experiments were carried out using rectangular containers. Eachcontainer was 24.0 centimeters long, 10.0 centimeters wide and 6.5centimeters deep. The containers were filled with untreated iron orepellet feed until a good portion of the material has been deposited ontop of the container forming an elongated pyramidal like shape. Allangles of the roof were verified by the use of a 45 degree angularcompass.

After been placed inside the container the surface of the iron orepellet feed was uniformly sprayed with one of the compositions or with amixture at proper concentration. At industrial level, the usual amountof product that is sprayed onto the top of a single iron ore car istypically 80 L at 1.5% concentration. Considering each car with 22 m2area this means 3.64 L/m2 dosage. During laboratory trials theapplication of dust control products followed as close as possible thisvolume of liquid per area by changing the concentration of the appliedsolution.

In order to guarantee that each iron ore bed received the right amountof binder only the iron ore surface was exposed to the spray. Any dropthat touched the external surface of the container was dried using towelpaper. Dosage amount was meticulously controlled by weighting the ironore bed during spray application until the target final mass wasachieved.

After the application of the dust control product to be tested the oresurface was left to dry either at room temperature inside a fume hoodovernight or inside an oven at 110° C. for one hour. After that time thecontainer with treated iron ore was submitted to lift-off trial.

Lift-off measurements were based on weight loss balance. The iron orebed, after the drying period, was placed over a vibratory platform inorder to simulate the series of impacts that an iron ore car sufferduring transport. Vibration was approximately 53.3 Hz with amplitude of2.5 mm. At the same time the ore bed was submitted to a room temperatureair stream corresponding to a flow of 970 L/min or 60.5 km/h windconsidering tubing with 35 mm of diameter. The duration of each trialwas 15 minutes.

Weight of the iron ore bed was measured before and after the lift-offtrial and the efficiency of the dust control products was determinedbased on the percentage of iron ore lifted-off at the end of theexperiment. Pictures of each iron ore bed were taken before and afterthe lift-off trial. (Representative examples of which are shown in FIG.1).

Blank Trials

In order to obtain a significant baseline for the lift-off trials twoset of blank experiments were carried out. The first experiment wascarried out spraying just water on the surface of the ore bed. Afterthat it was left to dry inside a fume hood overnight and then it wassubmitted to an air flow of 970 L/min for one hour that corresponds to60.5 km/h wind considering a pipeline with 35 mm of diameter. The ironore weight loss was measured after 15 minutes.

The second experiment was performed in the same way as the second but inthis case the iron ore bed surface was previously dried for one hour at110° C. inside an oven and then submitted to regular lift-offconditions. Table 1 illustrates the results of the experiments.

TABLE 1 Applied Dosage Mass Drying Product (g/m2) Loss (%) air 17 hComposition 1 0.2% after 3.1 after 2.8  0.4% Composition 2 0.1% air 17 hComposition 1 0.2% after 1.9 after 11.9 0.4% Composition 2 0.5% air 17 hComposition 1 0.2% after 2.0 after 11.4 0.4% Composition 3 0.5% oven 1 hWater (blank) 51.0 15.8% oven 1 h Water (blank) 46.0 19.1% air 17 hWater (blank) 42.0 14.9% air 0.5 h Composition 2 0.5% after 12.0 after3.0  0.9%* Composition 1 0.2% *Weight loss measured after 7 hours underlift-off conditions.

Other examples measured after more than 7 hours under air flow showed asimilar degree of binder robustness. This data demonstrates that theinventive mixture is unexpectedly effective as a particulate materialbinder.

While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there aredescribed in detail herein specific preferred embodiments of theinvention. The present disclosure is an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the particular embodiments illustrated. All patents, patentapplications, scientific papers, and any other referenced materialsmentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.Furthermore, the invention encompasses any possible combination of someor all of the various embodiments mentioned herein, described hereinand/or incorporated herein. In addition the invention encompasses anypossible combination that also specifically excludes any one or some ofthe various embodiments mentioned herein, described herein and/orincorporated herein.

The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive.This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one ofordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations areintended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term“comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar withthe art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodimentsdescribed herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassedby the claims.

All ranges and parameters disclosed herein are understood to encompassany and all subranges subsumed therein, and every number between theendpoints. For example, a stated range of “1 to 10” should be consideredto include any and all subranges between (and inclusive of) the minimumvalue of 1 and the maximum value of 10; that is, all subranges beginningwith a minimum value of 1 or more, (e.g. 1 to 6.1), and ending with amaximum value of 10 or less, (e.g. 2.3 to 9.4, 3 to 8, 4 to 7), andfinally to each number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 containedwithin the range. All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are byweight unless otherwise specified.

This completes the description of the preferred and alternateembodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognizeother equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein whichequivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attachedhereto.

1. A method of inhibiting the release of dust from a pile of particulatematerial, the method comprising the step of applying to the exposedsurface of the pile a binder composition, the binder compositioncomprising a first composition and a second composition, each of thefirst and second composition having a viscosity of less than 100 cP whenapart, but when mixed together they have a viscosity of more than 10,000cP.
 2. The method of claim 1 in which the first and second compositionsare separately applied to the pile and do not contact each other untilafter they have both been applied to the pile.
 3. The method of claim 1wherein the first composition is a viscosity adjuster and the secondcomposition is a gellant.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the firstcomposition is selected from the list consisting of: Alkylating Agents,Bases, Monoethanolamine, Diethanlonlamine, Diethanol coconut amide,Triethanolamine, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, PotassiumCarbonate, Sodium Carbonate, Ammonium Hydroxide, and 2-amino, 2-methyl,1-propanol, and any combination thereof; and the second composition isselected from the list consisting of: Nonionic Cellulose Ethers,Methylcellulose, Methylhydroxyethylcellulose,Methylhydroxypropylcellulose, Hidroxyethylcellulose,Hydroxypropylcellulose, Sodium carboxymethylcellulose, Ethylcellulose,Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, Carboxy polymethylene, Acrylic acidcopolymer, and Carboxy vinyl polymer, and any combination thereof. 5.The method of claim 1 wherein the pile is within an open toppedcontainer.
 6. The method of claim 1 in which the pile comprises one itemselected from: iron, coal, dirt, wood chips, agricultural products,fruits, fertilizers, ores, mineral ores, fine materials, sand, gravel,soil, fertilizers, or other dust generating material, and anycombination thereof.
 7. The method of claim 1 in which the pile islocated at one item selected from: a railroad car, a ship's hold, aport, a mine, a railroad station, a truck, a road, an industrialfacility, a refinery, a smelter, a packaging facility, a power plant,and any combination thereof.
 8. The method of claim 1 in which at leastone of the compositions are applied by spraying onto the pile.
 9. Themethod of claim 8 in which both compositions are sprayed sequentiallyfrom the same spray apparatus.
 10. The method of claim 1 in which thefirst composition is applied before the second composition.
 11. Themethod of claim 1 in which the second composition is applied before thefirst composition.
 12. The method of claim 1 in which both compositionsare simultaneously applied from different sprayers.
 13. The method ofclaim 5 in which the pile extends above the walls of the container andthere is a less than 0.1% mass loss of the portion of the pile above thewalls.